For my final blog post of the year, let's recap all things Southern Belle in Training! I'll be sharing my favorite outfits, readers' and my favorite blog posts, top selling items, and more. If you missed it, I recapped 2020 in my personal life outside of blogging in Monday's blog post.
Outfits
Let's start off as always with a recap of my favorite outfits of the year! This was probably the year that I've shot and shared the fewest amount of outfits on the blog in quite a long time. That was mainly due to the fact that I didn't go many places aside from work, exercising, and necessary errands. But I still did manage to put together fun outfits a few times each season for the sake of the blog. 😊It really felt like playing dress-up, but honestly it was nice to occasionally wear heavier makeup and heels, even if it was just for blog photos.
Readers' Favorite Posts of 2020:
- LILLY PULITZER AFTER PARTY SALE: Winter 2020 Sale Dates + My Favorite Lilly Blog Posts - The first blog post I wrote in 2020 was also my most trafficked post of the year! I'm excited that the next APS is now only a couple weeks away again.
- ImPRESS Nail Review: The Best Press-On Nails - I discovered ImPRESS press-on nails from the drugstore in 2019, and I finally made the time to review them on the blog and also make an IGTV video showing how I apply them.
- LILLY PULITZER AFTER PARTY SALE: Winter 2020 In-Store Try-On + My Purchases - Y'all couldn't get enough of last January's After Party Sale content!
- Self Tanner for The Girl Who Doesn't Tan: Isle of Paradise Tanning Drops Review - I loved reviewing the popular Isle of Paradise tanning drops. These became a staple in my summer beauty routine, and I'm excited to use them again in 2021.
- Lilly Pulitzer Spring 2020 Try-On + Sizing Info - Another Lilly post! I love that you guys love Lilly as much as I do.
My Favorite Posts of 2020:
- TRAVEL GUIDE: Mathews VA + The Middle Peninsula - As much as I love visiting popular tourist destinations, I also love traveling to destinations that are off the beaten path, and getting to introduce blog readers to them. I loved visiting rural yet charming Mathews County in Eastern Virginia this summer, and sharing a Travel Guide for the area!
- Lilly Pulitzer Spring 2020 Try-On + Sizing Info - One of y'all's favorite 2020 posts was also one of mine. I loved putting together several similar posts after this one later in the year for Lilly.
- Radio 101: Radio "Dictionary" for National Radio Day - I loved writing this post on National Radio Day in August. I shared what common English words have different meanings in radio!
- HOTEL REVIEW: History & Luxury at The Jefferson Hotel - My favorite travel collaboration of the year! And the first time Southern Belle in Training got to partner with a five star hotel- a huge honor.
- Vera Bradley x New Hope Girls - This was my first blog post for Vera Bradley, and it was for a special collection they did for a great cause! I ended up developing a great relationship with them this year and continuing to partner with them throughout the year.
Top Sellers:
- Lilly Pulitzer inspired face mask (this one was my top product of the year by a long shot! Haha)
- Pink faux fur scrunchies (this was featured in a Halloween costume blog post from 2018)
- Lilly Pulitzer Klara dress
- Lilly Pulitzer Pamela top
- Lilly Pulitzer Luxletic Weekender leggings
2021 Blogging Goals:
- Grow my blog Facebook group's membership to at least 100 - A highlight of this year with blogging was launching the private Southern Belle in Training Facebook Group- which is open to all women who read my blog/follow on Instagram. It just hit 60 members which is amazing!! (I honestly didn't know this summer if anyone would join.) I'd love to grow the wonderful community that's happening there to at least 100 women by the end of 2021. (Please feel free to join if you haven't!)
- Take off the last week of 2021 from the blog - I'm hoping to schedule next year's version of this post and my annual recap of my personal life for Christmas week instead of the last week of the year. I think a true break from the blog at the end of 2021 will be needed.
- Increase my rewardStyle affiliate earnings by 10% of 2020 profits - This was my best year yet with affiliate links, and I hope to earn even more with rS/LTK in 2021.
- Set up another strategy call with rewardStyle. - Continuing on the previous goal, I want to have another strategy call with an rS rep to discuss updated best practices.
- Publish my complete Charlottesville and Richmond Travel Guides - This is also on my 101 in 1001 goal list!
- Secure a sponsored collaboration of a certain dollar amount - I came close to hitting this in 2020, but was $50 shy of the number I'm hoping to hit for a sponsored collaboration. Hoping 2021 is the year!
- Start an inspiring woman interview series on the blog - One thing that I want to do in 2021 is start either a monthly or every other month interview series on the blog with women who inspire me in blogging, radio, faith or other parts of life! I already have an interviewee in mind for the first one, so hopefully it'll be a go.
- Do at least four more song bracket challenges on IG Stories - These have been so much fun!! Since this summer, I've done different song brackets on my IG Stories and made corresponding playlists to go along with them. It's been a blast to share my love of music and radio chart knowledge with my blog audience, and I definitely want to keep them going this year.
And that's a wrap! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog, interacting with my posts, following me on Instagram and more in 2020. This was not an easy year, and working on my blog this year truly did bring so much extra joy to all of the days at home. I am also pleased to share that this was my most lucrative year of blogging yet- I made about 30% more of what I made in 2019!! I wasn't expecting that at all, and that was a huge blessing after a year like this.
Thank you again- talk to you soon in 2021!
God Bless,
xoxo Annaliese
No comments
Post a Comment
Thanks so much for reading Southern Belle in Training! Comments make my day- so feel free to share your thoughts on this post! I read each and every comment.
If you have a question in regards to one of my posts, or just want to say hi, the best way to get ahold of me is by e-mailing me directly at: rainbowflash94@yahoo.com. I am better about responding to e-mails than blog comments sometimes!
Xoxo